Trending Now - Nine Found Guilty of Terrorism in ICE Facility Shooting Case
WHO:
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman presided over the trial.
Daniel Sanchez Estrada was charged with corruptly concealing a document and conspiracy to conceal documents.
Nine defendants: Benjamin Song, Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill (formerly known as Cameron Arnold), Meagan Morris (formerly known as Bradford Morris), Maricela Rueda, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada.
Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, who was shot during the attack.
Kash Patel, FBI Director, who commented on the case.
Pamela Bondi, Attorney General, who made statements regarding the verdict.
Todd Lyons, ICE Director, who commented on the attack.
WHAT:
Jurors delivered the verdict around 2:30 p.m. on March 13, 2026.
Eight defendants were found guilty of providing material support to terrorists, while one defendant, Daniel Sanchez Estrada, was convicted of corruptly concealing a document and conspiracy to conceal documents.
Prosecutors stated that the group launched a premeditated terror attack inspired by antifa ideology, involving fireworks, vandalism, and gunfire directed at police officers.
Alvarado Police Chief Teddy May noted that Lt. Gross, who was shot in the neck, has fully recovered.
The DFW Support Committee expressed that they were “heartbroken” over the verdicts and stated, “This is only the beginning. We will continue to fight the remaining charges until every defendant is home.”
Daniel Sanchez Estrada was found guilty of both charges.
Benjamin Song faces a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.
Autumn Hill, Zachary Evetts, Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto each face between 10 and 60 years in prison.
Sanchez Estrada faces up to 40 years in prison.
Nine defendants were convicted of various charges related to the July 4, 2025, attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center.
Charges included attempted murder, providing material support to terrorists, rioting, and using explosives during a riot.
Benjamin Song was convicted of attempted murder for shooting Lt. Gross.
The jury delivered a mixed verdict on March 13, 2026, after approximately a day and a half of deliberations.
Eight defendants were found guilty of providing material support to terrorists.
The defendants faced a total of 65 charges.
WHERE:
The attack occurred at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.
The trial took place at a federal courthouse in Fort Worth, Texas.
WHEN:
The trial lasted nearly three weeks.
The attack occurred on July 4, 2025.
The trial began on February 23, 2026, and the verdict was delivered on March 13, 2026.
The Trump administration designated antifa as a domestic terror group in September 2025.
WHY:
Prosecutors argued that the group’s actions, including bringing firearms and wearing body armor, indicated nefarious intent.
Prosecutors alleged that the attack was a premeditated act inspired by antifa ideology.
The defendants claimed they were protesting ICE and did not intend for violence to occur.
HOW:
Prosecutors presented evidence including surveillance footage of fireworks along the facility's tree line and testimony from cooperating witnesses who described the events leading to the violence.
Testimony included that Benjamin Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, yelled “get to the rifles” before opening fire, striking Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross.
Prosecutors presented evidence of the defendants using Signal, a messaging application, to coordinate their actions and prevent tracking.
Testimony included that the defendants took steps to prevent their cell phones from being tracked.
The group allegedly set off fireworks, vandalized property, and shot at police officers during the attack.
Prosecutors presented evidence including surveillance footage, testimony from over 45 witnesses, and more than 210 exhibits.
The defendants used Signal, a messaging application, to communicate and coordinate their actions.
(UPDATED March 14, 2026 05:21 UTC)
Yesterday afternoon, jurors delivered a verdict in a high-profile case, finding eight defendants guilty of providing material support to terrorists, while Daniel Sanchez Estrada was convicted of corruptly concealing documents and conspiracy. Prosecutors presented compelling evidence, including surveillance footage and witness testimony, revealing that the group launched a premeditated terror attack inspired by antifa ideology, which involved fireworks, vandalism, and gunfire directed at police officers. In related news, Alvarado Police Chief Teddy May confirmed that Lt. Gross, who was shot in the neck during the incident, has fully recovered, while the DFW Support Committee expressed their heartbreak over the verdicts and vowed to continue fighting for the remaining defendants.
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(UPDATED March 14, 2026 03:43 UTC)
In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman found Daniel Sanchez Estrada guilty of corruptly concealing a document and conspiracy to conceal documents after a nearly three-week trial. Sanchez Estrada now faces up to 40 years in prison, while his co-defendant Benjamin Song is looking at a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life, with several others facing sentences ranging from 10 to 60 years. Prosecutors presented evidence showing that the group used the messaging app Signal to coordinate their actions and took steps to prevent their cell phones from being tracked, indicating their intent to conceal their activities.
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(UPDATED March 14, 2026 01:25 UTC)
In a significant development, nine defendants were convicted of various charges related to the July 4, 2025, attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, with Benjamin Song found guilty of attempted murder for shooting Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross. The jury delivered a mixed verdict on March 13, 2026, after a day and a half of deliberations, resulting in eight defendants being found guilty of providing material support to terrorists among a total of 65 charges. Prosecutors alleged that the attack was a premeditated act inspired by antifa ideology, as the group set off fireworks, vandalized property, and shot at police officers during the incident.